While many assume pruning season is over as the UK heads towards spring, this is not the case. Experts say there is a short window now to cut back overgrown shrubs before growth properly kicks in. If gardeners miss this window, they could face "fewer blooms", "smaller harvests", as well as "leggy, overcrowded plants" come summer.

According to garden expert Ali Lijee from TreeMend, this is the moment many people get wrong. Ali said: "Once buds start swelling and new growth is visible, you've largely missed your chance for proper structural pruning. Late winter is your last opportunity to shape certain shrubs and fruit bushes while they're still dormant. If you delay, you risk cutting off this year's flowers or weakening the plant."

According to the expert, gardeners heavily focus on pruning roses in February, but buddleia, some hydrangeas and soft fruit can also benefit from a trim now.

He added: "When a plant is dormant, it's under less stress. Pruning now encourages strong, healthy new shoots once temperatures rise. If you want until the plant is already putting energy into new growth, you're effectively wasting that energy and setting it back."

Often known as the butterfly bush, buddleia should be cut back firmly before spring gets going.

It flowers on new wood, meaning the blooms you see in the summer grow on shoots produced that year. If you want "big, dramatic flower spikes", you need to cut it back hard "now".

Aldi recommends reducing last year's growth to around 30-60cm from the ground, depending on the plant's size and strength. He said: "It can look brutal. But buddleia responds very well to a strong prune.

"If you leave it untouched, it becomes tall, woody and sparse at the base, with fewer flowers at eye level."

Hydrangeas are another area where people often make mistakes. The key thing is knowing which type you have.

The gardening expert noted: "Hydrangea paniculata and hydrangea arborescens flower on new growth, so they can be pruned now without sacrificing blooms."

He advised cutting these back to a healthy pair of buds lower down the stem to encourage sturdy new shoots.

Classic mopheads flower on old wood, meaning if you cut these back now, you could remove this year's flower buds. With this type of hydrangea, only remove dead or damaged stems at this stage.

Ali added: "It's one of the most common pruning errors I see. A little research before you cut makes all the difference."

Gooseberries and currants should be pruned in late winter while they're still dormant. But if you leave them too late, the plant can become stressed, reducing its cropping potential.

The expert continued: "With gooseberries, you want good airflow through the centre. Remove crossing branches and any low stems that will drag fruit onto the soil. This helps reduce disease and makes harvesting much easier."

With blackcurrants, remove some of the oldest stems right down to the base each year to encourage fresh shoots.

Red and white currants benefit from shortening side shoots whilst maintaining a more structured framework.

Ali noted: "Each fruit bush has its own pruning style. But the common thread is timing. Late winter is when you can shape them properly without interrupting active growth."